history1900s/swastikahistory The swastika is an extremely powerful symbol. The Nazis used it to murder millions of people, but for milleniums it had positive meanings. What is the history of the swastika? Artifacts such as pottery and coins from ancient Troy show that the swastika was a commonly used symbol as far back as 1000 BCE. The image of the swastika was used by many cultures around the world, including in China, Japan, India, and southern Europe. German nationalists in the mid-nineteenth century began to use the swastika, because it had ancient Aryan/Indian origins, to represent a long Germanic Aryan history. On August 7, 1920, at the Salzburg Congress, the flag containing the swastika symbol became the official emblem of the Nazi Party.

The Original Meaning: The word “swastika” comes from the Sanskrit svastika – “su” meaning “good,” “asti” meaning “to be,” and “ka” as a suffix. For 3,000 years, the swastika meant life and good luck. For Buddhists andHindus, the swastika is a very religious symbol that is commonly used. In ancient times, the direction of the swastika was interchangeable as can be seen on an ancient Chinese silk drawing.

ancienthistory/ancientart/081508swastikas Swastika = Mark of the Sun: The mark is much older than Christ, Buddha, and even Hinduism. It represents the Sun and its movement across the North Sky. Four lines extend out from the center as the Sun’s rays, forming a “Cross”. Each ray extends into another line, clockwise, to represent the Sun’s east to west motion across the Northern Sky. “Swastik” (Sanskrit word) – “Swa” means Sun, and “tik” means mark. Swastika literally means “Mark of the Sun” in ancient Sanskrit.

The word swastika is derived from the Sanskrit word svastika, meaning any lucky or auspicious object, and in particular a mark made on persons and things to denote good luck. It is composed of su- meaning “good, well” and asti “to be” svasti thus means “well-being.” The suffix -ka either forms a diminutive or intensifies the verbal meaning, and svastika might thus be translated literally as “that which is associated with well-being,” corresponding to “lucky charm” or “thing that is auspicious.”[1] The word in this sense is first used in the Harivamsa.[2]As noted by Monier-Williams in his Sanskrit-English dictionary, according to Alexander Cunningham, its shape represents a monogram formed by interlacing of the letters of the auspicious words su-astí (svasti) written in Ashokan characters.[3]

The Sanskrit term has been in use in English since 1871, replacing gammadion (from Greek γαμμάδιον). Alternative historical English spellings of the Sanskrit word include suastika,swastica and svastica. Other names for the shape are:

crooked cross, hook cross or angled cross (German: Hakenkreuz).

cross cramponned,~nnée, or ~nny, in heraldry, as each arm resembles a crampon or angle-iron (German: Winkelmaßkreuz).

fylfot, chiefly in heraldry and architecture. The term is coined in the 19th century based on a misunderstanding of a Renaissance manuscript.

The swastika symbol (right-hand) is alleged to have been stamped on Gautama Buddha’s chest by his initiates after his death. It is known as The Heart’s Seal. The swastika figures on the Pillars of Ashoka. The swastika marks the beginning of many Buddhist scriptures. The swastika (in either orientation) appears on the chest of some statues of Gautama Buddha and is often incised on the soles of the feet of the Buddha in statuary. Jainism gives even more prominence to the swastika than does Hinduism. The ChineseTang Dynasty, Empress Wu Zetian (684-704) decreed that the swastika would be used as an alternative symbol of the Sun. The swastika shape was used by some Native Americans-notably by the Hopi and Navajo.

Fylfot, a modified version of the swastika, is the symbol of the Jains. It is often laid out with rice grains outside the temple altar.

Swastika shapes have been found on numerous artifacts from Iron Age Europe (Greco-Roman, Illyrian, Etruscan, Baltic, Celtic, Germanic, Georgian Bordjgali and Slavic). In Greco-Roman art and architecture, and in Romanesque and Gothic art in the West, isolated swastikas are relatively rare, and the swastika is more commonly found as a repeated element in a border or tessellation. For the Slavs the swastika is a magic sign manifesting the power and majesty of the sun and fire. In the Polish First Republic the symbol of the swastika was also popular with the nobility.

The earliest consistent use of swastika motifs in the archaeological record date to the Neolithic. The symbol appears in the “Vinca script” of Neolithic Europe (Balkans, 6th to 5th millennium BC[12]). Another early attestation is on a pottery bowl found at Samarra, dated to as early as 4000 BC. Joseph Campbell in an essay on The Neolithic-Paleolithic Contrast cites an ornament on a Late Paleolithic (10,000 BC) mammoth ivory bird figurine found near Kiev as the only known occurrence of such a symbol predating the Neolithic.[13]

The swastika appears only very rarely in the archaeology of ancient Mesopotamia. It is found on prehistoric pottery, of which the Samarra bowl is the oldest known example, and on a number of early seal impressions, but then disappears from the record for the remainder of the Near Eastern Bronze Age. In India, Bronze Age swastika symbols were found at Lothal and Harappa, on Indus Valley seals.

Swastikas have also been found on pottery in archaeological digs in Africa, in the area of Kush and on pottery at the Jebel Barkal temples, in Iron Age designs of the northern Caucasus (Koban culture), and in Neolithic China in the Majiabang, Dawenkou and Xiaoheyan cultures. Other Iron Age attestations of the swastika can be associated with Indo-European cultures such as the Indo-Iranians, Celts, Greeks and Germanic peoples and Slavs. The Tierwirbel (the German for “animal whorl” or “whirl of animals”) is a characteristic motive in Bronze Age Central Asia, the Eurasian Steppe, and later also in Iron Age Scythian and European Baltic and Germanic culture, showing rotational symmetric arrangement of an animal motive, often four birds’ heads. Even wider diffusion of this “Asiatic” theme has been proposed, to the Pacific and even North America (especially Moundville).

An example of how the swastika was also used as a symbol in Classical Greece. Here it can be seen as a decoration on the clothing of a picture of Athene, the Goddess of Wisdom, the arts and war – and also patron of the city of Athens. This detail is from a Greek vase dating from approximately 500 BC.

The Indo-European origins of the Romans – in particular the Latini tribe – are apparent through their liberal use of the swastika as an emblem. Here the swastika can be seen upon the Ara Pacis Augustae: the altar built to commemorate the peace established by Augustus, consecrated 4 July 13 BC. The swastika can also be seen in a virtually identical format in many Classical Greek designs: hence it is often called a “Greek key” pattern.

The Indo-European origins of the Vikings is illustrated by this detail from a very well preserved Viking ship uncovered by archeologists in Scandinavia, known as the Osberg ship, circa 800 AD. A handle mount on a bucket found in the ship depicts a figure carrying a shield with four swastika sun emblems in its corners. The fact that the swastika appears as a symbol from Scandinavia to Italy to India indicates precisely how far the Indo-European influence was felt.

The swastika can be seen on a carving called an ayagaptha, in Mathura, India. The emblem is one of the last remains of the tribe of Nordic Indo-Europeans – who called themselves Aryans – who invaded India. In that land, they were eventually absorbed into the overwhelming non-White mass, creating the caste system still present in that country to this day.

One of the furthermost eastern migrations of Celtic peoples – Indo-European Nordics – reached the Tarim basin, Takla Makan desert (situated between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tibet) in China around 1500 BC. This great migration was unknown until the 1977 AD discovery of 3500-year-old graves of these people. As a result of the natural dryness of the environment, many of the corpses are almost perfectly preserved, with their reddish-blond hair, long noses, round eyes and finely woven tartan clothing (usually associated with the Celts in Scotland), showing undeniably White racial traits.

Origin of Hindu Symbol Swastika Swastika or Svastika, the universal and most revered symbol of auspiciousness, good luck and well being. Thousands of years of heritage and its good faith cannot be wiped out or destroyed by this single shocking event in history. Why should the most sacred and gentle symbol of human race be punished for whatever heinous act Hitler, his ideology and his followers committed? Swastika must not be punished for what Hitler did as Swastika has always represented harmony, humbleness and humanity and oneness in all diversities. Swastika is the oldest religious symbol known to the human race and is widely recognised in various cultures all across the world. Swastika derives from the oldest way of life called Vedic Dharma or original form of Hindu Dharma. Vedic Dharma or its sects which include Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, have never done anything wrong to other religions, they have never waged any atrocities on other faiths.

Greeks believed Swastika as sacred symbol and associated it with the Apollo, their Sun God. The statue of Apollo in his chariot at historical museum in Vienna has a large Swastika depicted on his chest. Greeks called Swastika a Gammadion and used it very extensively on terracotta figures, tiles, shields, coins.

Commercially it found its way to become the registered trademark of world famous Carlsberg lager as early as 1881 and continued to be used up until 1938. The Finnish Air Force marked Swastika in blue paint as a national emblem and good luck symbol which they call Haka Risti (locked cross), on all their planes from 1918 until 1945 when it was changed because they were mistaken for Nazi planes. New Mexico is the land of Swastika. Swastika was once a state symbol and appeared on all highway signs and state flags, now replaced by sunrays after World War II. The Russian Tsar’s luxurious coach was decorated with Swastika symbol in the front same as German Mercedes Benz displays it logo of Star on the bonnet.

Aztec, Mayan and Inca civilisation in central and South America also used Swastika freely along with whirly form of Swastika in their art work and in their temples. Swastika has migrated across many cultures, races and religions and has become the universal symbol. It is amazing fact how this non-violent and kind symbol found its way even into Islamic Mosques! The Friday Mosque in Sfahan, Iran, has lots of beautiful mosaic symbols in various places and many of them have beautiful and colourful images of Swastika designed.

During the first three centuries A.D, it is said, the Swastika was the only form of cross used by Christians in catacombs and churches. It was a disguised form of the cross and a unifying symbol among those who survived a common persecution. In Rome, it is called Crux Dissimulata because the early Christians concealed themselves, the Church did not adopt the crucifix until the sixth century when Christianity had become the official religion of Rome. Swastikas can be seen decorating the Christian Catacombs of Rome.

There are many evidence of the existence of Swastika in Judaism and its free use in synagogue with The Star of David, The Holy Symbol Of Judaism. A secret monastic brotherhood of Jews called the Essenes lived in Palestine from the second century B.C. to the end of the first century A.D. To them, the Swastika was a sacred sign representing the Wheel of Eternal Life. In Hinduism, the Swastika is often drawn inside Yantra, what is known in Judaism as The Star of David. In the synagogue at Tel Hum, Capernaum, Swastika is found on the breeze side by side with the Star of David, The Holiest Symbol Of Judaism. This proves that Swastika was also an ancient Hebrew religious sign.

The Swastika is the most ancient religious symbol of human race. It has such a rich history that it transcends cultures, races, religion and continents. It is an injustice that thousands years of history and faith are being wiped out due to the negative portrayal and ignorance of this beloved symbol in the west.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinca_script Most of the inscriptions are on pottery, with the remainder appearing on whorls (flat cylindrical annuli), figurines, and a small collection of other objects. Over 85% of the inscriptions consist of a single symbol. The symbols themselves consist of a variety of abstract and representative pictograms, including zoomorphic (animal-like) representations, combs or brushpatterns and abstract symbols such as swastikas, crosses and chevrons.

Aryan invasion of india is doubtful. ALso, if according to the western thoery of the aryan invasion, the swastika was brought to India by the aryans around 2 millenium, please explain the Indus Valley Civilization swastika dated around 4000 BC.

FACTS:
The 15 groupings of PHOSPHENES helps to explain why cultures do NOT need to mingle to share in the same symbols.

PHOSPHENES declares a Bearing Strait land bridge is NOT necessary.
PHOSPHENES declares that there is something in the air.
Southwest ‘rock art’ documents PHOSPHENES rather nicely.
PHOSPHENES and plasma discharges seem to share similar geometry.
NASA is interested in PHOSPHENES.http://breakfornews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6546&highlight=

Kindly check the remains of the cities of Dwarka and Khambhat off the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat. These are still being excavated and the carbon dating proves that these port cities were thriving between 9000-32000 BCE., This are scientifically proven by the archaeologists and covered by the History Channel.

It only survived modern usage in India and her religions and is found in every single temple and the symbol is always there when we have puja (prayers) . India was ruled by muslims for 1400 years! if it was wiped out of usage in the rest of central asia and middle east by the spread of new organized religions like Islam thus the likely origin is India since thats where it was most used historically and spread elsewhere plus its usage did not dissapear despite ruthless attempts to change the people of the regions religions. Remember there was only 2 major ancient civilizations in S and E Asia..China and India the rest were nomadic mostly. So our influence was a lot the same way as Greeks influenced the Europeans in their customs..Swastika likely originated around somewhere in Asia but the people who used it most was what you would call today hindus. Central Asia was our backyard before Islam came. so these symbols being found is not surprising. Genetic studies of Indo-European populations also shows that we all originated in or around the same area. However based on ancient Indian texts such as the Rig Veda and all of the rituals and texts assoisated with the swastika. Its safe to say that it originated in what you call today Hinduism . If dharma and karma spread all the way to Japan it surely reached the middle east/africa and Europe as well at some point..India is close to all and the swastika could be more then 10000 years old.

The Vinca culture had the first Swastika ever. They existed in the Balkans around 5500 BC. Look at the writing characters/symbols they wrote on their pottery and other items. YET academia says that the first civilization to ever discover writing is in Sumer over 2000 years later (in 3200 BC). THEN look up the ancient symbols of the Halaf culture that existed north of Sumer just before and during the Ubaid period (which then over some centuries the Halaf cultures mixed with the Samarra cultures down south and eventually gave rise to the Sumerian culture, in which their pre-cuneiform characters match many of the Vinca’s symbols and characters). It seems the Halaf cultures ended up being the second place on earth using the Swastika symbols as well, and right around 1000 years later. Coincidence? From what I see no. At this point there is some sort of a splitting of some mega civilization. Like the true origins of the creation of “East” and “West” idealisms. One civilization went west towards Israel and then migrated further south to go on and become the great civilizations of pre-dynastic Egypt and the other went east and on to become the Merhgarh Culture, which later became the Harappan culture of the Great Indus Valley Civilization…which is where “The Vedas” came from….aanndd the Swastika symbolism once again a perfect 1000 years later. All of these cultures mysteriously disappeared. The only evidence I can find of where they went is, once again, 1000 years later the legendary Xia Dynasty (believed to be China’s first kingdom before all kindoms and dynasties) where they were known to exhibit the Swastika symbol on various items. The actual ancient chinese myth says that they were caucasian white blond and red haired people with blue eyes and they were able to overpower and control all surrounding cultures they encountered with they’re superior technology and intelligence. Immediately I thought of the red and blond mummies they’ve recently discovered in China that after DNA testing the mummies were actually found to have roots in both the Middle East and the Balkans. Coincidence? I still think no. Think about it…

Dear Mike, kindly check the artifacts from the Sindhu-Sarasvat civilization. Swastika has been found on the artifacts which date back to over 7000 years. So, also in the ruins of Khambhat off the west coast of India. These date back from 9000-32,000 years. Source: Documentary by History channel on the Dwarka-Khambhat underwater ruins. Thanks.